WagonBoy

Looks like there are replacement pads from Porterfield ($359-399), Pagid ($325ish), and Stock ($400ish).

Am I missing anyone that makes brake pads for the S4 that will handle street and Lite-Medium track use? I loved the Ferodo DS2000 pads that I had on my A4, do they make S4 pads?

Opinions anyone? The guys on the S4 forum had nothing to say, so I thought I would try here.

Thanks,
Rick

CP

Had the R4S on my A4 and loved them...went with R4 fronts at the track.

Sharon

My ideal recommendation would involve getting new calipers and rotors if you're on the track as much as you are...but in terms of a short term solution before we convince you otherwise:

I loved the Porterfield R4 around town and at autocross races (in my stock calipers). I still have these in my rear calipers. They are very easy on the rotors, good grab, don't require much warm up. But, I'd say that they are only a stop-gap for the track. They simply didn't last very long. They are also ungodly noisy and produce lots of dust (but you should expect this from non-street pads). If I can get a set for my current calipers, they'd be my preferred pad for autocross.

Pagid, however, makes a variety of compounds. If you can get some nice oranges, they may work better at the track (at least last longer). I can't say that they'd be that easy on your rotors, or that you won't end up warping them in the end (did I ever mention that the stock S4 brakes aren't up to repeated track use?).

I have Ferodo pads in my Alcons and am pretty pleased with them, though I don't know if you can get them for the stock calipers.

BTW, get some new pads for the rear calipers too. It'll help balance your braking. You'll find that the costs for performance pads in the back are much more reasonable than the front brakes (since the S4 has that weird backing plate on the front). I think that the Porterfields were $80-90 for the rear (when compared to $400 for the fronts) -- and they'll last a bit longer in the back.

Happy driving (and braking),
Sharon

ReyHey

7 track days, 40 Auto-X runs

They seem to have maybe, 1 more track day??
and if I don't track em, atleast (hope) the next 14 rounds (42 runs) of Auto-X this season. Thickness is decent 3/8" or tad thinner left, but, you can see the heat damage is almost through out.

But, that would be stretching it!

I like em!
Bedded down the rears at Sears Point, sort of cooked the rear rotors. But, they work great. Now my braking style is consevative compared to others' styles. Instead of Stabbing them hard and abrubtly, I push in a progressive fashion and brake a little earlier.

But, this is my next serious upgrade, Rotors/Calps,etc.

The R4S's are my $0.02 (w/ stainless lines & Modul 600 juice)
But, you can't go wrong with anything Sharon recomends!! 8-)

Audi on!!

markbradford

Performance is a bit better than stock, with less dust too. I haven't tracked them yet, but they're not really a track pad. I might get R4 pads for the front for track days.

Corey S

Vortrag has tested Pagid RS-19's (an endurance race pad) in the stock S4 calipers with good results. Supposedly they are very nice to rotors, and have good torque. Other than that, the R4's work pretty well, but are the noisiest things I've ever heard, and don't last long on the track. And whatever you do, don't use Hawk Blues, they eat rotors like crazy.

Sharon and I have both used Ferodo DS3000's in our Alcons, they stop like crazy, but do require some warm up (even more in my <i>smaller</i> B-Types). They also didn't last too long in my calipers, but seem reasonable in Sharon's 6-pots. I'm a big fan of Pagid RS-12's and RS-14's for combo track/street/autox. They both have great bite, last reasonable long, and are fairly nice to the Coleman rotors. Right now I also have R4's in the rear calipers, but plan to go to Pagid Orange (also called RS4-4) when I put the R-Types on the rear. The RS4-4's are a very good street/autox compound, with great torque and decent rotor wear.

My final recommendation would be to put RS4-4's all the way around, then if you find they aren't enough for the fronts, then try RS-12's, 14's, or 19's.

WagonBoy

Cool Thanks! And, thanks to everyone else that responded!

Pat-SoCal

Don't use the racing pad unless you want to be cleaning the nuclear fallout off your car caused by sparks, dust, and other heat endused chemical reactions.

WagonBoy

I was told that Hawk doesn't make pads to fit the S4 yet? Do you know different?

MrHydeA4

...but I just took delivery of some R4S pads for my A4, front and back. I ordered them directly from Porterfield and the total came to about $200 including shipping.